Another one leaving us: the latest Audi R8 is a 610 HP and rear-wheel drive jewel that says goodbye to gasoline forever
Published by L'équipe in News the
04/10/2022 at 14:19
The Audi R8 joins the cars that have been or will be retired this year and next. With its successor confirmed as an all-electric model, the brand with the four rings unveils its swan song : the Audi R8 Coupé V10 GT RWD.
So the Audi supercar says goodbye with a limited variant that becomes its most powerful rear-wheel drive yet. Only 333 units of this R8 Coupe V10 GT RWD will see the light of day, which will be launched on the market in 2023.
The Lamborghini Aventador , the Aston Martin Vantage , the Mercedes-AMG GT ... these are several supercars that are already writing the last chapter of their history, opening up to a future where electrification will be king.
Lighter and more powerful than Performance RWD
Although a Performance RS Final Edition has been rumored , it looks like it's finally this special edition that will bring the Audi R8 to an end after 18 years on the market.
This is its second GT version, based on the Audi R8 Performance RDW . But its 5.2-liter V10 continues to produce 610 hp instead of 570 hp, corresponding to the four-wheel-drive quattro version.
Anyway, it seems that we are left with the desire to see an Audi R8 reach the 650 hp that was indicated for the RS Final Edition. It is not in vain that it seems very complicated that another version of the R8 reaches the doors of its goodbye although it does not carry this surname.
This heart is accompanied by a weight reduction of 20 kg compared to the Performance, like this R8 V10 GT RWD for the scales at 1,570 kg. It does this through the standard equipment of carbon-ceramic brakes or several carbon fiber reinforced plastic elements.
But it also comes with some technical innovations, for example the seven-speed automatic transmission has been adjusted for the occasion. Although the main role is played by the new Torque Rear mode .
This system controls the level of rear axle slip through the level of torque transmitted and in conjunction with the stability control. It has up to seven positions to play with.
With these ingredients, the Audi R8 V10 GT RWD accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds : four tenths faster than the Performance. Although its tip must be similar because they mention more than 320 km/h. The Performance signs the 329 km/h.
This rear-wheel-drive GT is further distinguished by a differential combination that follows in the footsteps of the first GT . Equip the Carbon Aerokit in high gloss, with carbon fiber reinforced plastic for the front lip, side skirts, rear diffuser or spoiler, among others. In addition, all its emblems are in black, including the R8 GT which shines at the rear.
Inside there are more nods to the first R8 GT , essentially combining black with red accents, including, for example, the belts in this second tone that we had not seen since this version .
Finally, in the molding that frames the change, it reminds that it is a special edition since it is superimposed on which unit of the 333 announced corresponds to each of these R8 GT RWD.
This Audi R8 V10 GT RWD will start at 225,000 euros , being considerably more expensive than the current Performace, which in Spain does the same at 179,380 euros.
Around its successor: it will be entirely electric and will not be called R8
For now, Audi has already confirmed that the successor to the Audi R8 will not have a combustion engine. This was announced by Linda Kurz, director of product marketing for Audi Sport late last year. But beyond the fact that it will be an all-electric supercar , little is known about which model will take its baton.
As detailed in a recent Autocar post , Audi sources reportedly indicated that it won't be called the R8 and will be radically different in design, although it will retain the configuration of that supercar: a two doors seasoned with a power to match.
The Audi R8 is manufactured at the Audi Sport plant in Böllinger Höfe, Germany, precisely where the brand produces the Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT . Suffice to say that this factory will surely welcome the successor of the supercar, having the road already well paved.
On the other hand, it is speculated that it could take advantage of synergies with Porsche to share the architecture of Stuttgart's electric cars, since the e-tron GT does exactly the same with the Taycan .
Regarding its delivery, given that for example the RS e-tron GT signs 475 kW (646 hp), when we talk about Audi's halo car, it should exceed this power. We would therefore be talking about a more powerful electric supercar than the current Audi R8.